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After Hermione's words even Dumbledore looked shocked.
"Well, that certainly explains a few things. How about we adjourn this meeting to your office, minister?" The minister nodded and Hermione gave Dumbledore the jar. The two men took Wormtail and Fudge turned to Sirius.
"I will have your papers arranged by tomorrow, Mr Black, could you stay here till then?"
"If Mr Weasley doesn't have anything against it."
"I certainly don't, you can stay as long as you wish." Sirius nodded and smiled slightly.
"Thanks you. Headmaster, could you warn Remus? He must be worried sick by now."
"I will, don't worry." Dumbledore and Fudge bid their goodbyes and apparated out of the house.
The room stayed silent for a while, all the Weasley family was looking at Ron, Hermione and Sirius who were still sitting on the couch. Finally Ron was the first to move, he put all the wands on the table, stood up and left the room shortly followed by Hermione and Sirius. The three of them went to Ron's room and locked the door behind them. Ron sank into the bed and put his head into his hands. Hermione sat down next to him and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. Sirius looked sad at the two teenagers, not knowing what to say, but also knowing he had to say something.
"Ron, I'm so sorry, I shouldn't..." The teenager looked up sharply and shook his head.
"Don't say it Sirius, it's not your fault. You did the right thing in coming here, it's just that I always thought that if something like this happened they would listen to me." He gave a short, sad, laugh. "I guess I was wrong." They stayed in silence for some time. Ron finally looked up, smiled at Hermione and talked to Sirius. "When are you going to tell Harry?" Sirius smiled a little nervous.
"When I have all the papers, it might keep him from killing me." Hermione and Ron looked at him a little surprised.
"Why would Harry want to kill you?" Sirius laughed.
"Ron, I put myself in danger, if you hadn't been so quick I might have been given the dementor's kiss, Harry will go ballistic when he hears about it." A shout sounded from downstairs.
"SIRIUS LEE BLACK!" Sirius gulped and looked at the two teenagers.
"I see he's not the only one, I guess I might go out there and face old Moony before he gets more pissed of at me." Ron and Hermione both laughed and went out of the room after the man. In the kitchen, surrounded by the rest of the Weasley family stood a fuming Remus. When the werewolf saw his friend, he caught him by his wrist and dragged him outside so they could talk privately. Ron and Hermione were both leaning on the doorframe of the kitchen laughing hard.
"Man, professor Lupin looks pissed, he's so going to get it."
"No kidding Ron."
A few minutes later both men came back in. Remus looking a little calmed down while Sirius looked like he had got a serious reprimand from his friend.
"Sorry about that, had to get it out of my system." Sirius looked darkly at his friend and sat down on the table next to Ron.
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Harry's summer so far had been a disaster. If Dumbledore thought going to the Dursley's was good for him then he had been sorely mistaken. His family hadn't changed in the least, but he had. After the happenings of the third task Harry had found himself in need of comfort. Those horrible days after it, Ron and Hermione had been his pillars, the only thing that kept him going. The moment he had left Kings Cross, those pillars had crumbled and had left him to fend for himself. If the Dursley's noticed something was wrong they didn't do anything about it, their days were spent doing what they always did, ignore him and go on with their lives as if certain nephew of them wasn't even there. Other summers, that had suited Harry fine, he didn't like to be alone, but preferred it from having to deal with his relatives. This summer all was different. Having no one to talk with was slowly driving him over the edge, all the dreams, all the guilt he felt, all stayed inside him. Two weeks into the summer holidays Harry had given up on doing anything, his books didn't interest him anymore and his homework had been all done in the long nights he couldn't sleep. The only reason he hadn't stopped eaten so far was that it upset his uncle greatly if he didn't come down, said he was wasting Petunias cooking. When Harry had suggested she didn't cook for him his uncle had been angry. Not because he cared about what happened to Harry but more because he was afraid about what those freaky friends of him would do if something happened to Harry during holidays. So Harry now spent his days in his room, just laying on his bed, sometimes sleeping, sometimes awake, his memories always there, his only companion.
One day, Harry had lost count of how many days had passed, his calendar had stayed empty from the usual marks, his aunt called him downstairs. Harry debated whether to comply or to stay where he was, finally he did as he was told, knowing his aunt would some drag him down if he didn't go on his own. Shakily he stood up and slowly he walked downstairs. If he had been able to feel anything he would have been surprised to see Ms Figg, his old baby sitter, sitting in one of the couches holding a cat, but at this time he didn't care anymore, he just wanted to go back to his room. He didn't miss the horrified look the old lady gave him, briefly he wondered if he looked that bad. Knowing the answer or simply not caring about it he turned to his aunt.
"Did you want something aunt Petunia?" The woman pointed him a sit and harshly told him to sit down.
"Miss Figg wanted to see you, boy. I'm going to get tea." His aunt shot him a look that Harry clearly understood as no funny business and left to the kitchen. Harry turned to the old lady who had had the time to compose herself. With a slightly strained smile she said.
"Hello, Harry dear, how are you doing?" Harry's dull eyes looked at her uninterested, and knowing it was just a rhetorical question, didn't bother to answer. They stayed in silence for a while, obviously the old woman didn't quite know what to say to him, she just petted her cat and waited for the boy to do something. Luckily for both of them Petunia came back, she immediately began to talk with Miss Figg, driving the tension away. Harry slipped away unnoticed by the two adults. He returned to the sanctuary of his room and laid down again, facing the wall. He didn't see Miss Figg's tabby cat come in after him and stay a few minutes looking at his curled up form. A soft pop, startled him from his musings and he tensed, knowing he was no longer alone in the room. Slowly he turned around and this time he was slightly surprised to see his head of house kneeling in front of his bed.
"Harry" The boy looked at her for some moments and then turned back facing the wall. Professor McGonagall frowned deeply, eyes full of concern. "What has happened to you, my boy?" Her voice was soft and she didn't think he had heard her. Minerva wondered if she should just take the boy to Hogwarts, it was obvious he was in need of medical attention, and most of all she thought he needed someone to lean on. But Dumbledore's orders had been clear, she was only there to check on him. With a sigh she leaned over him and softly kissed his check, not drawing any reaction.
"Don't worry my boy, you wont be staying here for much longer." Harry's only reaction was to close his eyes, with another sigh, Minerva transformed back and left the room. She was going to have a long chat with Dumbledore about this.
To be continued...
Author's notes: Thanks for all reviews
Free
After Hermione's words even Dumbledore looked shocked.
"Well, that certainly explains a few things. How about we adjourn this meeting to your office, minister?" The minister nodded and Hermione gave Dumbledore the jar. The two men took Wormtail and Fudge turned to Sirius.
"I will have your papers arranged by tomorrow, Mr Black, could you stay here till then?"
"If Mr Weasley doesn't have anything against it."
"I certainly don't, you can stay as long as you wish." Sirius nodded and smiled slightly.
"Thanks you. Headmaster, could you warn Remus? He must be worried sick by now."
"I will, don't worry." Dumbledore and Fudge bid their goodbyes and apparated out of the house.
The room stayed silent for a while, all the Weasley family was looking at Ron, Hermione and Sirius who were still sitting on the couch. Finally Ron was the first to move, he put all the wands on the table, stood up and left the room shortly followed by Hermione and Sirius. The three of them went to Ron's room and locked the door behind them. Ron sank into the bed and put his head into his hands. Hermione sat down next to him and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. Sirius looked sad at the two teenagers, not knowing what to say, but also knowing he had to say something.
"Ron, I'm so sorry, I shouldn't..." The teenager looked up sharply and shook his head.
"Don't say it Sirius, it's not your fault. You did the right thing in coming here, it's just that I always thought that if something like this happened they would listen to me." He gave a short, sad, laugh. "I guess I was wrong." They stayed in silence for some time. Ron finally looked up, smiled at Hermione and talked to Sirius. "When are you going to tell Harry?" Sirius smiled a little nervous.
"When I have all the papers, it might keep him from killing me." Hermione and Ron looked at him a little surprised.
"Why would Harry want to kill you?" Sirius laughed.
"Ron, I put myself in danger, if you hadn't been so quick I might have been given the dementor's kiss, Harry will go ballistic when he hears about it." A shout sounded from downstairs.
"SIRIUS LEE BLACK!" Sirius gulped and looked at the two teenagers.
"I see he's not the only one, I guess I might go out there and face old Moony before he gets more pissed of at me." Ron and Hermione both laughed and went out of the room after the man. In the kitchen, surrounded by the rest of the Weasley family stood a fuming Remus. When the werewolf saw his friend, he caught him by his wrist and dragged him outside so they could talk privately. Ron and Hermione were both leaning on the doorframe of the kitchen laughing hard.
"Man, professor Lupin looks pissed, he's so going to get it."
"No kidding Ron."
A few minutes later both men came back in. Remus looking a little calmed down while Sirius looked like he had got a serious reprimand from his friend.
"Sorry about that, had to get it out of my system." Sirius looked darkly at his friend and sat down on the table next to Ron.
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Harry's summer so far had been a disaster. If Dumbledore thought going to the Dursley's was good for him then he had been sorely mistaken. His family hadn't changed in the least, but he had. After the happenings of the third task Harry had found himself in need of comfort. Those horrible days after it, Ron and Hermione had been his pillars, the only thing that kept him going. The moment he had left Kings Cross, those pillars had crumbled and had left him to fend for himself. If the Dursley's noticed something was wrong they didn't do anything about it, their days were spent doing what they always did, ignore him and go on with their lives as if certain nephew of them wasn't even there. Other summers, that had suited Harry fine, he didn't like to be alone, but preferred it from having to deal with his relatives. This summer all was different. Having no one to talk with was slowly driving him over the edge, all the dreams, all the guilt he felt, all stayed inside him. Two weeks into the summer holidays Harry had given up on doing anything, his books didn't interest him anymore and his homework had been all done in the long nights he couldn't sleep. The only reason he hadn't stopped eaten so far was that it upset his uncle greatly if he didn't come down, said he was wasting Petunias cooking. When Harry had suggested she didn't cook for him his uncle had been angry. Not because he cared about what happened to Harry but more because he was afraid about what those freaky friends of him would do if something happened to Harry during holidays. So Harry now spent his days in his room, just laying on his bed, sometimes sleeping, sometimes awake, his memories always there, his only companion.
One day, Harry had lost count of how many days had passed, his calendar had stayed empty from the usual marks, his aunt called him downstairs. Harry debated whether to comply or to stay where he was, finally he did as he was told, knowing his aunt would some drag him down if he didn't go on his own. Shakily he stood up and slowly he walked downstairs. If he had been able to feel anything he would have been surprised to see Ms Figg, his old baby sitter, sitting in one of the couches holding a cat, but at this time he didn't care anymore, he just wanted to go back to his room. He didn't miss the horrified look the old lady gave him, briefly he wondered if he looked that bad. Knowing the answer or simply not caring about it he turned to his aunt.
"Did you want something aunt Petunia?" The woman pointed him a sit and harshly told him to sit down.
"Miss Figg wanted to see you, boy. I'm going to get tea." His aunt shot him a look that Harry clearly understood as no funny business and left to the kitchen. Harry turned to the old lady who had had the time to compose herself. With a slightly strained smile she said.
"Hello, Harry dear, how are you doing?" Harry's dull eyes looked at her uninterested, and knowing it was just a rhetorical question, didn't bother to answer. They stayed in silence for a while, obviously the old woman didn't quite know what to say to him, she just petted her cat and waited for the boy to do something. Luckily for both of them Petunia came back, she immediately began to talk with Miss Figg, driving the tension away. Harry slipped away unnoticed by the two adults. He returned to the sanctuary of his room and laid down again, facing the wall. He didn't see Miss Figg's tabby cat come in after him and stay a few minutes looking at his curled up form. A soft pop, startled him from his musings and he tensed, knowing he was no longer alone in the room. Slowly he turned around and this time he was slightly surprised to see his head of house kneeling in front of his bed.
"Harry" The boy looked at her for some moments and then turned back facing the wall. Professor McGonagall frowned deeply, eyes full of concern. "What has happened to you, my boy?" Her voice was soft and she didn't think he had heard her. Minerva wondered if she should just take the boy to Hogwarts, it was obvious he was in need of medical attention, and most of all she thought he needed someone to lean on. But Dumbledore's orders had been clear, she was only there to check on him. With a sigh she leaned over him and softly kissed his check, not drawing any reaction.
"Don't worry my boy, you wont be staying here for much longer." Harry's only reaction was to close his eyes, with another sigh, Minerva transformed back and left the room. She was going to have a long chat with Dumbledore about this.
To be continued...
Author's notes: Thanks for all reviews